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Beware Pot-Laced Candy This Halloween, Denver Police Warn

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on October 20, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Police in Denver are warning parents about the potential for trick-or-treaters to get tricked into consuming pot-laced candy this Halloween.

With the passage of Colorado's marijuana legalization law, the state's marijuana dispensaries have begun selling pot-infused candy that often times looks nearly identical to regular candy, reports ABC News. Edibles such as marijuana-infused candies account for as much as 30 percent of sales at some of Colorado's legal dispensaries.

Now police are trying to get the word out to parents about the potential for children to be exposed to marijuana by inadvertently eating these marijuana-laced treats.

Halloween Warning Video

With the upcoming Halloween the first since recreational marijuana became legal in the state of Colorado, police are looking to get the word out to parents. The Denver Police Department has released a YouTube video explaining to parents the dangers potentially posed by marijuana edibles on Halloween featuring the owner of a Denver dispensary:

The video explains how manufacturers of marijuana-infused candies sold at Colorado dispensaries often buy popular candy in bulk, then spray the candy with concentrated marijuana oil. Once dry, these candies may be hard to distinguish from ordinary candy if removed from packaging.

Edibles May Pose Overdose Danger

Ingesting pot in edible form can easily lead to overdoses, even in adults. A Colorado man was hospitalized earlier this year after overdosing on marijuana chocolates he claims he ate without knowing they were laced with marijuana. An emergency room doctor at Denver's Children's Hospital of Colorado told ABC News that the hospital has seen an increase in children who have consumed edible marijuana in recent years.

Police in Denver are advising parents to check any candy their children may bring home and throw out any candy that might be unlabeled, suspicious, or not a recognized brand. Police also warn that parents who may purchase infused marijuana candy for themselves should be vigilant about safeguarding their stash year-round.

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